Surviving in a zombie apocalypse game is easy if you are only playing against AI, but how will you fare against other players? Dead Rivals is a brand-new zombie-themed MMORPG created by Gameloft for Android and iOS devices. In this game, you will be playing as one of the few remaining humans in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies. The game employs a mobile ARPG-style combat system that lets you dish out all kinds of pain on the undead. The goal of the game is not just annihilating zombies, though. You will need to do everything you can in order to sustain yourself. That means building a shelter, raiding other players, and crafting your own weapons. There are three different classes to choose from, and these can be customized further to suit your preferences. Do you have what it takes to go head to head against some of the best players from around the world? Make sure you read our Dead Rivals beginner’s guide to ensure your success!

1. Choose The Right Class

As we mentioned above, there are three classes for you to choose from. Each class has its own cosmetic options, and more importantly, they have different specializations. The three classes are the Merc, the Specialist, and the Brawler. While there is no best class for you to choose, it is best if you go with the one that works well with your play style. Keep in mind that you can only create one character per server. If you want to try out the different classes, you will need to create characters on multiple servers.

The Merc is this skinny guy who likes using automatic weapons and grenades. It makes sense since he does not look too reliable when fighting up close. Aside from the ability to attack from afar, he also has a couple of movement skills, including a roll forward. This helps him maneuver into the right position while shooting at his target.

The Specialist’s weapon of choice is a close-ranged firearm. She is also the support of the team because she can heal her comrades with serums. She does not deal as much damage, but she can still be a killing machine if you know how to use her properly. Pick her if you want a flexible option that can support and attack at the same time.

The Brawler, as the name suggests, likes to get up close and personal. He deals melee damage and can easily catch his enemies with gap-closing skills. As the beefiest-looking character in the game, rest assured that he can also take a few punches. If you don’t want to worry too much about positioning, you can choose him.

2. Master The Combat System

If you are familiar with the other ARPGs from Gameloft, then you will easily recognize the combat UI. There is a virtual joystick on the left side to help you move around. Beside it are some action buttons for interacting with objects, moving your camera view, and talking to NPCs. On the right side, you will notice a big button surrounded by smaller buttons. The big button is for your basic attacks, while the four smaller ones around it are for skills. The other small button below the basic attack is for reloading. Lastly, the button on the left of your skill buttons is for swapping weapons. It all looks straightforward when you first look, but when you are in the middle of battle, you won’t really have time to check out where the buttons are. Practicing often and mastering the combat system will allow you to instinctively know where to tap without checking the buttons. You need to be able to reload and swap weapons on the fly if you want to get far in Dead Rivals.

3. Rush Levels To Unlock Skills

When you start out, your skill buttons will be locked. You will unlock the first one at level 2. You need to keep leveling up in order to gain full access to all your skill slots. The second skill slot unlocks at level 7. The last one is unlocked at level 13. At the very least, you should rush your levels until you get your last skill slot. The skill sets are different for each player, so make sure you read the descriptions or test them out on weaker enemies. Don’t forget that you can also unlock other skills for each class by opening chests.

Aside from active skills, you will also gain access to passive skills when you hit level 13. Passive skills are always in effect, and they do not take up skill slots. Unfortunately, you will still have to choose a limited number of passive skills. This limit is determined by the maximum cost you are allowed to have. The good news is that the cost limit increases as you level up. This is another reason for you to continue leveling up your character.

4. Fine-Tune Your Attributes

When you reach level 15, you will be able to revamp your equipment, so you can reassign your attribute boosts. This will allow you to customize your attributes further to suit your play style. The problem is, there are more attributes in Dead Rivals than there are fingers on your hands. You will have to understand what each attribute is for before investing in each one. Otherwise, you will end up with a build that does not maximize your combat potential. To help you with this dilemma, we have created a short attribute cheat sheet for your reference.

5. Keep Your Shelter Upgraded

Your shelter is your main base of operations. There are several structures here that help you progress in the game. The Main House is your headquarters. Its level determines the maximum level of the other buildings. The Warehouse is your storage. Upgrade it to increase its maximum capacity. The Workshop is where you can craft weapons, armor, and consumable items. The higher its level, the more types of items you can craft. The Farm gives you food. Upgrading it increases the production rate. Finally, the Command Post is where you can assign tasks to your followers once you have unlocked them.

Upgrading requires a lot of resources such as lumber, bricks, rebar, and food. Make sure you collect these resources often by completing quests, opening chests, farming, and claiming rewards. The more resources you have, the more you can upgrade your shelter.

6. Don’t Forget To Complete Your Quests

There are two types of quests in Dead Rivals. The main story quests unlock more content for you. This includes the workshop and the farm, so make sure you complete as many quests as you can. Aside from these, though, there are also event quests. Event quests are those that you can take up in areas you have already completed. These normally require you to kill a certain number of a given enemy or pick up a specific item. If you are struggling to progress in the main quests, you could work on event quests to strengthen your character first.

You can also try out other game modes by teaming up with fellow players. Completing these will reward you with upgrade kits that will increase your weapon and armor levels. You also get seeds, food, and chests in the process. The first game mode is Shelter Defense. It requires two players, and you will have to work together in defending against a zombie invasion. The second game mode is City Escape, and it requires four players. This time around, you will be leaving the shelter together, but you will be surrounded by zombie attackers.

7. Check Your To-Do List

When there are so many things going on, it helps to have a to-do list to keep you focused on the important tasks. Aside from helping you stay on track, however, the game’s to-do list also rewards you with chests every time you complete a task. The list contains routine tasks such as crafting items, upgrading cards, completing a defense mode mission, or progressing in the main story quests. These are tasks that you would most likely do as you play, but it helps that you get rewarded for doing so.

8. Claim Your Login Rewards

Aside from being rewarded for doing daily chores, the game also gives you prizes for simply logging in. There are several login reward systems in the game that you need to claim goodies from. There is a 7-day check-in reward system that renews weekly. There is also a check-in system for the month. You also get rewards for staying online for a certain number of minutes. The longer you play, the more rewards you get. Even if you don’t have time to play, you can just log into the game and leave it on in order to become eligible for all the rewards.

9. Auto-Quest With Caution

Dead Rivals has an auto-quest feature that allows you to go through battles without actually doing anything. This is an easy way to grind for resources and levels. That does not mean, however, that you should leave your character alone in auto-quest all the time. The AI for auto-quest is not optimized for taking on other players or bosses. Make sure you manually control your character when in PVP or during a boss battle. Otherwise, you will have a dead body waiting for you when you finally decide to check back on your character. Knowing the right time to use the auto-quest feature will help maximize your progress without risking unnecessary deaths.

10. Take A Shelter Before Playing Around

As you know, the game features an open world that you can freely explore whenever you want. During your exploration, you will be leveling up, picking up loot, and encountering different enemies. There will be times when you suddenly want to open up a menu to move things around, like changing equipment or assigning skills. Make sure you hold off on doing this until you get back to your shelter. The last thing you want is to have a zombie chomping on your leg while you are busy reading item descriptions.

11. Spend Your Gems Wisely

The temptation to spend premium currency on cosmetic items is high in Dead Rivals. Since there are only three classes, you will always have the same class as one third of the entire population. There are only a few free customization options that you can go for, so you will still encounter a lot of other players who will look exactly like you. On top of this, the game does a great job of marketing their fashion items. Whatever you do, resist this temptation. Cosmetic items do absolutely nothing for your character. They do not give stats, bonuses, or even armor. It is better if you hold on to your hard-earned gems and spend them on useful items like health packs.

Surviving in a zombie wasteland is not an easy task, but with the help of our Dead Rivals strategy guide, you will surely come out on top!